From the CEO

VisionWest Community Trust has been offering community-based services to people in West Auckland since the 1980’s. The Trust was formally incorporated as the Friendship Centre Trust in 1988 in response to a growing desire of the Glen Eden Baptist Church to help those in need in the local community.

Bringing transformational change

Kia Ora and Welcome to VisionWest Community Trust. When we look back over the past 25 years or more at the journey we have been on here, you can’t help but sit back and say Wow! From incredibly humble beginnings to an organisation that now has over 1000 employees, has a National reach, and works with over 15,000 people every year. With all that change though, one thing has remained constant, our absolute commitment to doing what we can to meet the needs of our community.

Our vision statement, which is so much more than just some words hanging on a wall, is Transformed Lives, Healthy Communities. That statement guides us, drives us and ultimately is the standard by which we judge our work. Over my 15 years as CEO, I can attest to the fact that lives have and continue to be transformed, that the communities we work in are healthier and more robust because of the transformed lives that reside in them. It has been a blessing and an honor to be on that journey. But we’re not done. Unfortunately, the needs which are presented to us on a daily basis continue to grow. The incredible need for short term emergency housing or long-term supportive housing, those needing emergency food parcels, those youth, adults and families who are coming needing help with complex and varied issues; all of these are only growing.

Now, our focus is on shaping and driving our organisation in a direction that allows us to meet this growing need and the challenges that come with it, head on. We are committed to building a lot more houses for those in need within our community. We are shaping our model of care and even our buildings and receptions to ensure that VisionWest is a place of belonging and safety for those who come seeking our help. We are building an organisation and infrastructure that continues to be ready and able to meet both a growing and ever-changing environment. And we are gathering around us a group of partners who can walk with us and support us on this journey; because we know, we absolutely cannot do this on our own.

On our website, you will get a more in depth feel for who we work with and what we do. If you would like to know more or would like to know how you could partner with us in this work give us a call. We’d love to talk.